Cartridge belt link manufacture



'A 1944- P.. MOINICHEN CARTRIDGE BELT LINK MANUFACTURE Filed July 2, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1944- P. MOINICHEN 2,355,992

- CARTRIDGE BELT LINK MANUFACTURE Filed July 2, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 P. MOINICHEN Filed July 2. 1942 CARTRIDGE BELT LINK MANUFACTURE l umlll Aug. 15, 19 44.

Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTRIDGE BELT LINK MANUFACTURE Petter Moinichen, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States Government, as represented by the Secretary of War and his successors in office 3 Claims.

ing ammunition belt links, to a progressive die which may be utilized in the manufacture of such links, and to a novel strip for scrapless formation of belt links in a progressive die.

Link-type ammunition belts comprise links formed of sheet metal bent to form coaxial spaced rings and a single ring complementary to the space between the coaxial rings arranged to interfit with coaxial rings of an adjacent link to provide a cylinder for the reception of cartridges which serve as pintles for the links.

The manufacture of ammunition belt links as heretofore proposed involving the use of heretofore known progressive dies through which a strip of material is fed and formed at successive stations into a completed link has required the use of a strip wider than the width of the finished link to provide continuous bands of material at each side of the blanks cut in the strip to which the link blanks remain connected for movement through the die with the strip. These side bands are also necessary to cooperate with a spring carrier plate forming a necessary part of such dies, which lifts the partly formed link blanks out of engagement with successive forming members of the progressive die to permit forward movement of the blanks through the die as a unit with the strip.

Such progressive dies have resulted in a large percentage of waste of the strip material fed to the dies, due to the necessity for side strips for engagement with the spring stripper, and also to the necessity for excessive longitudinal spacing of successive link blanks, due in part to the manner in which the link blanks were secured to the side strips, and in part to the manner of cutting.

The forming of the links in such known dies is effected by means of a series of fixed forming members ground to close tolerances complementary to spring-mounted reciprocating forming members. In the operation of these heretofore known progressive dies, it has been found that an increase in the rate of operation 41 above a definite value resulted in excessive strain on the spring members, e. g., of the spring carrier plate and of spring-mounted die members so that early failure resulted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of forming a belt link from a strip of material substantially equal in width to the width of the final link, and with the formation of only a minimum of waste.

It is a further object to provide a method of forming belt links whereby the links may be formed at an exceptionally high rate without excessive deterioration of the die.

. 7 It is another object of the invention to pro- 'and with the formation of only a minimum of waste material.

It is still another object to provide a progressive die which is capable of operation athigh speed to form a belt link.

It is a still further object to provide a novel strip comprising a series of partially formed link blanks connected together for substantially scrapless formation of belt links in a progressive die.

.In accordance with the method of the present invention, a continuous strip of material equal in width to the width of the finished link is fed as a unit to progressive stations of a die, and is cut at successive stations to define blanks comprising parallel strip members to be bent into coaxial rings, a single strip member to be bent to form a single ring, and a shoulder portion connecting the, strip members, leaving a connecting portion between the link blank and the remainder of the strip. The link blank is moved by the connecting portion to forming stations, the connecting portion is then cut, and the link blank is bent to form a link.

A progressive die according to my invention suitable for use in connection with the practice of the method may comprise a stationary die member, a movable die member co-operating with the stationary member to provide cutting and shaping members, and a feeder to supply to the die a continuous strip of material in successive uniform lengths. As more fully described hereinafter, the progressive die may comprise a shear to cutthe strip on lines defining edges of parallel strip members of a link blank which are to be bent to form coaxial rings and to define the edges of a single strip member of a link blank, whichis to be bent to form a single ring, the shear being constructed to leave uncut a connecting portion between a link blank and the stock strip. The die also comprises a shear to which the partially formedlink blank is fed by movement of the strip to sever the connecting portion between the link blank and the remainder of the strip, and members co-operating to bend the link blank to form the parallel strip members of the blank into coaxial rings, and the single strip member into a single ring.

Further objects and advantages will in part be described hereinafter, and in part will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying'drawings forming part of the disclosure of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from a consideration of the following detailed specification.

ber of the progressive die of my invention show ing the successiv stations of the die with a strip F in place, and indicating in heavy lines the cuts made at each station.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the die showing I the die of my invention, with the movable upper di member of the progressive die in its lowers most position to cut and form the strip material.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a strip as acted on by the die member, and illustrates the cuts and bends formed in making a belt link.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view showing the loop forming elements of the progressive die of my invention in section on line IVIV Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line V-V Figure 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a completed belt link formed by the progressive die shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

A progressive die according to my invention (see particularly Figs. 1 and 2) comprises a stationary lower member I0 in which guide posts II are mounted, a vertically reciprocable upper member I2 provided with guide sleeves I3 fitting over. posts II, and a feeding device I4 of any known or suitable type, for supplying to the die successive lengths of a stock strip I4 of material for formation into a belt link. I

In the following description of the die, various portions of the die will be referred to as stations and will be described separately, but it is to be understood that in the operation of the die each of the stations performs its function at every cycle of the die member, the progressive formation of the belt link being due to progression of partially formed link blank portions of the strip to successive portions of the die where they are subject to further forming steps. Similar elements of each of the blanks of the series of partially formed link blanks in the die will be referred to by the same number, but will be distinguished by a superscript. That is, all elements of the first link blank will be given plain passes through a hole 36 in a stripper plate 38 which is secured to the stationary member II] of me mber III of the die, and passes to waste.

The second station of the die comprises a positioningpih 42 having the cross-sectional shape 10" of -the hole 28 and which projects through the hole 28 punched in the strip I4 at the first station to locate the strip exactly for a shearing numbers, all elements of the second link blank will be given prime numbers, and so on.

Suitable feeding mechanism, as for example feeding mechanism such as shown in. Dickerman Patent No. 1,968,479, dated July 31, 1934, may be employed for feeding in a strip of stock I4 between the fixed positioning guide I6 at one side of the strip and a guide I8 at the other side of the strip comprising strip-engaging members 20 which are pressed against the edge of the strip I4 to hold it firmly in place by means of a leaf spring 21' engaging the ends of the members. These guides direct the strip accurately to the first station of the die.

Such a feeding mechanism is represented diagrammatically in Figure 2 and is designated by the numeral I4.

The first'station of the die comprises a stationary guide member 22, andspring-pressed guide members 23 at the sides of the strip to hold the strip firmly in position, and a punch member 24 mounted in th verticallyreciprocable member I2, cooperating with a shearing edge 26 in the stationary member ID to punch a hole 28 (see Fig. 3) in the strip I4 which is shaped and located to define the end of a single strip member 30 of a first link blank 32 to be cut from the strip and to form the inner edge of the shoulder of a second link blank 34. As shown in Fig.2, the punch 24 operation. Shearing members 44, 4S, and 48, mounted in vertically reciprocable member l2 of the die, comprise cutting edges 50, 52, and 54 set at an angle to th horizontal with their left-hand ends, i. e., the end farthest in the direction of movementpf the strip I4 through the die higher than their right-hand ends. The cutting edge 50 co-operates with shearing edges 56 of the stationary die member II] to cut the strip I4 on lines defining a portion of the outer edges of a single strip member 30 of the second link blank 34, and a portion of the inner edges of parallel strip members 58 and 69 of a third link blank 62 to be cut from the strip. I The cutting edges 52 and 54 co-operate with shearing edges 94 and 66 on stationary die member ID to cutthe strip on lines defining the ends of parallel strip members 58 and of the third link blank to be cut from the strip; As shown-particularly in Figs. 1 and 3,

this cutting leaves two unsevered connecting portions between the parallel strip members 58 and 60" of the third link blank 62 and the single strip member 30 of the second blank 34 by which the third link blank 62 remains connected'through the second link blank 34 to the strip I4 so that the partially formed link blank remains a part of the strip I4 for movement with the strip to subsequent stations.

'As shown in Fig. 2, the shearing members 44, 4B and 48 pass through openings 61, 68 and 69 in the stripper 38 which holds the strip in place when the shearing members are raised by move-- ment of the die member I2.

The third station of the progressive die comprises shearing members 12 mounted on the vertically reciprocable member I2 of the die cooperating withthe shearing member "M on the stationary member III of the die to form the neck of the single strip member 39" and to form the shoulders of the blank 62. The shearing members 72 pass through holes 15 in the stripper 38. The material punched from the strip falls through slug holes 13-. 7

It is particularly to be noted that by cutting the strip I4 to form the ends of the parallel strip members of a link blank in one stage and cutting the strip to form the neck and the shoulder in-a second stage, it is possible to remove thin intervenin'g portions of metal between adjacent link blanks which could not be removed by a single punch of the die because of the impossibility of forming a die with a sufiiciently thin face to remove these segments satisfactorily.

The third station also comprises a bending form 16 which is slidably mounted in the vertically reciprocabl'e die member I2. Springs I1 presses the form l6 downwardly in the die member I2, the downward movement being limited by forming member 19' mounted on the stationary die member I and having a concave surface cooperating with the convex surface of the bending form 16 to bend up the-end of the single strip member 30" to provide clearance between the end of the single strip member 30" and the in- 86 having the cross-sectional shape of the hole 28 and co-operating with the hole 28' to position the strip accurately for bending. Bending members 81 and 83 are slidably mounted in die member I2, and are pressed downwardly by springs 89 and 90, the downward movement being 2 limited by engagement of the enlarged heads of th members 81 and 88 with shoulders 9| and 92 of die member I2. The members 81 and 88 cooperate with bending members 94 and 96 to bend up the ends of the parallel strip members 58"" and 50 of a fifth link blank 95. As shown in Fig. 2, bending members 94 and 96 are fixed on shafts 98 and I00 journalled in the stationary die member I0 and are operated to effect bending by arms I02 and I04 keyed to the shafts 98- and I00 which are pushed down by pins I06 and I08 set in the movable member I2 of the die.

At a fifth station (see particularly Figs. '1 and 2) there is provided a holding and bending member I09 which is slidably mounted in the movable member I2 of the die and is pressed downwardly by spring III), the downward movement being limited by engagement of the enlarged headof the member I09 with the shoulder III in die member I2, and a bending and shearing member II3 which is fixed on the shaft II4 journalled in thestationary member II) of the die. The member I09 is formed at its lower end to provide a strip-engaging portion II2 having a curved surface around which the single strip member is to be bent. The member I 09 projects down from the die member I2 so that the portion I I2 engages the strip I4 at an early point in the descent of die member I2. After the portions II 2 engage the strip, further downward movement of the member I09 ceases, and spring I I 0 is compressed, thus applying pressure to hold the strip firmly in place. The shearing member II 3 is rotated by means of an arm H6 keyed to the shaft II 4 which is pushed down by-operating pin or cam II1 which is set in the vertically reciprocable member I2 of the die. The cam I I1 is provided with a shoulder III; to force the shearing and bending member H3 upward. Member II3 bends thesingle strip member 30" upwards around the curve of the member I99 and severs the connecting portions between the single strip member 30"" of fifth link blank 95 and the parallel strip members 58 and 90 of a sixth link blank H9 at an early point in the descent of the member I2 so that the parallel strip members 58 and 60 are free to be bent into rings.

The fifth station also comprises (see Figs. 1, 2, 4 and a lower forming memberI mounted on the stationary die member I0 having spaced depressions I22 and I24 corresponding to the exterior of the lower half of a belt link of the, class described, i. e., the left-hand depression I22, and the portion of the right-hand depression I24 which will receive the longer parallel strip members60 form substantially half cylinders, while the portion of the right-hand depression I24 which will receive the shorter parallel strip member 58", is in the form of half a truncated cone joined to a short half-cylinder portion. As shown in Fig. 1, projections I20, which may be springmounted pins for engaging the interior of the shoulder of link blank II9 to hold it in position during the forming operations, may be provided at the center portion between the depressions I22'and I24...

Upper forming member I 28 is similar to the lower Lforming member I20 and cooperates with it=to complete the cylinders, and cylinder. and

truncated cones of the lower member;

partially formed linkblank H9 and cooperate with the-lower and upper forming members I20 and I28 to complete bending of the blank to form .a-belt link II 9.-

A-spreader I34 is mounted on the vertically reciprocable member I2 and adapted to maintainthe parallel strip members 58 and 60 and the rings-formed therefrom-in definite spaced relation. The spreader comprises two fingers I36 which extend down to engage a reduced portion I38 of the right-hand arbor I32 at an early point in the descentof the die member I2, but at a time after the blank- I I9'has been moved to position abovemember I 20, and holds both the right- .hand arbor I32 and the blank I I9 firmly in place when. the I connecting. portions between parallel strip members 58 and 60 and single strip member are severed, and to maintain them in placewhile the upper and lower members I20 and I28 are moved together to form the link.

As shown in vFigs. 4 and 5, mechanism for moving the arbors I30 and I32 comprises a member I 40 having .holes I42 and I44 in which the arborsare mounted, the arbors being held firmly in member I 40 bymeans of set screws I46, The arbor-supporting member I40. is mounted for .horizontalmovement toy and fromha position in which the arbors are directly above the path of ,the strip between the parallel side guides I48.

Retaining members. I are secured to the upper edges of the side guides and cooperate with .shoulders I52. of the arbor-supporting member I40. to retain the arbor-supporting, member I40 in the channel. formed by'the guides I48. The bottom. ofthe channel defined by the parallel side guides I48 comprises a fixedportion I54 and .a vertically reciprocable portion I56 which is pressed. upward by the springs I58, and is movable from a position. in which its upper surface issubstantially in line with the fixed ,member I54 to apositionsubstantially below the fixed member in which the edge I 60 of thefixed member .l54 forms a shoulder for. engagement with the shoulder lflsofgthe arbor-supporting membe'r;,-I40 to retainthearbor-supporting member .a'gain'st. lateral movement when the arbors are pushed downin forming a belt link. I Ihe arbor-supporting member- I40 is operated by .m ,ans pfa stiff link IM pivotally con- .nected at one. end through pin I66 to the .upper portion ofthe arbor-supporting member I40 and pivotally connected at the other end through pin H59 toa pin I69 which is vertically reciprocablein'the movable die member I2, and which is pressed downwardly by the spring I10.

shoulder I H is' provided on'the pin'to engage the shoulder I 12 in the hole I13 in which the pin I69 is mounted, to limit the downward movement of the pin. In order to control the pressure of the spring I10, opposing springs I14 are provided in the holes I15 in member I2, which act to balance the downward pressure of spring I10, through shoulder bolts I16 which are slidable in holes I15 and are adjustable in projections I11 at the side of pin I88.

The link I64 and pin I58 are constructed and arranged so that when the movable member I2 of the die is in raised position, the linkl64 raises the arbor-supporting member I40 and slides it to a position in which the arbors I30 and I32 are 'out of line with the path of the bent-up portion per edge of the arbor-supporting member I40.

As shown in Fig. 4, bearing block I18 is slidably connected to die member I2 by a shoulder bolt I19 projecting through a hole I80 in die member I2 permitting downward movement of the member I18, limited by the engagement of the:

shoulder of the bolt with the upper surface of die member I2. A spring I8I is mounted in an enlarged portion of the hole I80 and holds the member I18 in its lowermost position'until it engages the arbor-supporting member I40 and resiliently presses it down to bend the link blank. As pointed out hereinbefore, movement of the arbor-supporting member I40 downwardly brings the shoulder I62 of the arbor-supporting member and the shoulder I60 of the stationary member I54 into cooperative engagement to prevent lateral movement of the arbor-supporting mem- :ber I40 and arbors I30 and I32. The upper forming member I28 engages the partially bent ,strip members 30", 58 and 60* of the link blank H8 and together with the arbors I30 andl32 and the lower forming members I22 and I24 complete the bending of the link blank to form a completed belt link, (see Fig. 6) I To summarize the action of the fifth station: Bent up portion of the single strip member 30 of a link blank H9 is moved by feeding of the strip. I4 to a position past the position of the cylindrical arbor I30. The arbors I30 and I32 are then moved to a position above the link blank by means of the link I64, and are engaged by the fingers I35 of spreader I34. Shoulder II8 of the cam II1 moves downwardly against the arm IIS and rotates the shear member II3 to bend up the single strip member '30""' and sever the connecting portions between the single strip member 30"" of link blank 95 and the parallel strip members 58? and I50 of link blank 'I I9 which latter is held in place by the spreader fingersI36 and the arbors I30 and l32. Bearing member I18 of the upper die member I2 engages the upper edge of the arbor-supporting member I40 to force the arbors I30 andv I32 downwardly to efiect bending of the strip 'members .30", 58 and 60 of the link blank H9, and the upper forming member I28 engages the partially bent'str-ip members to cooperate with the arbors I30 and I32 and. the lower forming memb er I to complete the-bending of the link blank.

When the arbors are in position above the -When the reciprocable die member I2 is raised,

the forming portion I28 is moved out of engagement with the completed belt link, the arbor-supporting member I40 is raised by the link I64 carrying the completed link with it As can be seen from the above description, a

strip I4 of material of width corresponding to the-width. of the link is fed in successive uniform lengths corresponding to the stations of the die, e. g., the distance between the punch 24 and the positioning pin 42 of the die. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, strip I4 is punched at the first station to form a hole 28 which serves for positioning the strip I4 for succeeding operations. The hole 28 is shaped and'located to define the end of a single strip member 30 of a first link blank 32 and the interior of the shoulder of a second link blank 34. At a second station the strip I4 is cut along lines defining a portion of the outer edges of the single strip member 30, these lines also serving to define a portion of the inner edges of the parallel strip'rnembers 53" and of a third link blank 62. At this station also the blank 82 is out to form the ends of the parallel 'strip members 58 and 60" of the third link blank, leaving unsevered connecting portions by which the'third link blank 62 is connected to the strip I4 through the second link blank 34. By means of these connecting portions, the partially formed link blank 62 may be moved to successive operations as a part of the strip I4.

At a third station, the'strip is cut to form the neck and shoulders of the third link blank 52, and the single strip member 30 of the third link blank 62 is bent up to provide clearance for subsequent steps.

At a fourth station, the ends of the parallel strip members 58"" and 60" of a fifth blank are :bent up.

At a fifth station, a sixth link H9 has been moved by movement of the strip I4 to a position in which it can be formed into a link. The connecting portions between the blank H9 and the strip I4 are out, and th blank is then bent to form a completed belt link (Fig. 6).

It should be understood that the steps hereinabove described comprise an invention applicable to the manufacture of links other than those shown in said copending application. The form- 'ing steps which are hereinabove disclosed con.-

stitute an appreciable percentage decrease in the steps heretofore necessary in forming cartridge links of the character described, and in this fact alone and disregarding all of the other advantages in the hereinabove described procedure, and the dies and mandrels for carrying it out, constitutes a valuable contribution in the saving of material for the dies.

the connecting portions altered, or the cutting steps of the several stations may be rearranged to effect the cutting in fewer or in a greater number of stations, and it is desired, in fact, that my invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Therefore, it is not intended that the description heretofore given of the invention and/or the showing thereof set forth in the drawings is limiting in any respect of the monopoly claimed. It is on the contrary intended that all claims hereinafter allowed, whether made initially or to be added (assuming that they are properly supportable by the drawings and/or specification and/or claims originally made herein), shall be the measure of the scope of the invention herein set forth. Accordingly, and with the foregoing in mind, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is (remembering that claims broader than those now included may hereafter be found properly includable herein) 1. In a. progressive die comprising a stationary die member, a movable die member co-operating therewith to provide a series of cutting and shaping devices and a feeder for supplying to the die a continuous strip in successive uniform lengths for formation of an ammunition belt link of the class described from a continuous strip of metal of width substantially corresponding to the width of the link and with a minimum of waste, a punch constructed to form a hole in the strip shaped and located to define in the strip the end of a single strip member of a link blank which is to be bent to form a single ring of a belt link, said punch also forming the inner edges of the shoulder of an adjacent link blank, a shear to cut the strip on lines defining a portion of the inner edges of parallel strip members of a link blank which are to be bent to form paired coaxial cartridge-receiving rings, and to form the ends of these parallel strip members, said lines defining a portion of the outer edge of a single strip member of a link blank, leaving a connecting portion between the parallel strip members of one link blank and the single strip member of an adja cent link blank, a shear to cut the strip to form shoulders and neck portion of a link blank, forming members movable with the movable portion of the die and separately actuated members cooperating with said forming members to bend up the ends of the single and parallel strip members, a shear to cut the connecting portion between the single strip member of a blank and the parallel strip members of an adjacent blank, and two arbors operable to be moved out over the strip member when the strip member is positioned above the lower die portion, said arbors co-operating with die portions to bend the link blank to form the parallel strip members into coaxial rings, and a single strip member into a single ring to form a cartridge belt link.

2. In a progressive die comprising a stationary die member, a movable die member co-operating therewith to provide a series of cutting and shaping stations, and a feeding device for supplying to successive stations of the die a continuous strip in successive uniform lengths corresponding to the lengths of the stations for formation of an ammunition belt link of the class described from a continuous strip of metal of width substantially corresponding to the width of the link and with a minimum of waste, a first station comprising a punch constructed to form a hole in the strip shaped and located to define in the strip the end of a single strip member of a link blank which is to be bent to form a single ring of a belt link, said punch also forming the inner edges of the shoulder of a second link blank, a second stationcomprising a shear to cut the strip on lines definin a portion of the inner edges of parallel strip members of a link blank which are to be bent to form paired coaxial cartridgereceiving rings, and to form the ends of these parallel strip members, said lines defining a portion of the outer edge of a single strip member of a link blank, leaving a connecting portion between the parallel strip members of one link blank and the single strip member of an adjacent link blank, a third station comprising a shear to cut the strip to form shoulders and neck portion of a link blank, a forming member movable with the movable portion of the die and an actuated member co-operating with said forming members to bend up the ends of the single strip members, a fourth station comprising for ing means movable with the movable portion of the die and actuated means cooperating with said forming means to bend up the ends of the parallel strip members, and a fifth station com prising upper and lower die portions including a shear to cut the connecting portion between the single strip member of a blank and the parallel strip members of an adjacent blank, and two arbors operable to be moved out over the strip member when the strip member is positioned above the lower die portion, said arbors co-opcrating with die portions to bend the link blank to form the parallel strip members into coaxial rings, and a single strip member into a single ring to form a cartridge belt link.

3. In a progressive die comprising a stationary die member, a movable die member co-operating therewith to provide a series of cutting and shaping devices and a feeder for supplying to the die a continuous strip in successive uniform lengths for formation of an ammunition belt link of the class described from a continuous strip of metal of Width substantially corresponding to the width of the link and with a minimum of waste, a punch constructed to form a hole in the strip shaped and located to define in the strip the end of a single strip member of a link blank which is to be bent to form a single ring of a belt link, said punch also forming the inner edges of the shoulder of an adjacent link blank, a shear to cut the strip on lines definin a portion of the inner edges of parallel strip members of a link blank which are to be bent to form paired coaxial cartridge-receiving rings, and to form the ends of these parallel strip members, said lines defining a portion of the outer edge of a single strip member of a link blank, leaving a connecting portion between the parallel strip members of one link blank and the single strip member of an adjacent link blank, a shear to cut the strip to form shoulders. and neck portion of a link blank, forming members movable with the movable portion of the die and separately actuated members co-operating with said forming members to bend up the ends of the single and parallel strip members, a shear to cut the connecting portion between the single strip member of a blank and the parallel strip members of an adjacent blank, and means for bending the link blank to form the parallel strip members into coaxial rings" and the single strip member into a single ring.

PETTER MOINICHEN. 

